Vive la video revolution!

Robert Lattuca |
March 21, 2011

If the technology works, why is video not an everyday part of working life?

The current generation of video-conferencing technology is far more network-friendly than any previous incarnation. The evolution of codecs is such that video transfers can be accommodated at rates of 30 frames per second. Today, the average requirement for a high quality video call is around 2 Mbps. Many employee desktops are now getting 100 Mbps of broadband service, which means that an employee could conceivably operate 50 simultaneous video calls! There are few, if any, technology barriers remaining to achieving an enterprise-wide video communications strategy. The advanced stage of unified communications and SIP technologies also mean that video can be as integrated with the enterprise as telephone calls or e-mails are.

The technology is there to give every employee access to video calling in the same way that they can pick up the telephone or type out an e-mail. Video communication is a key stepping stone in establishing a truly dynamic enterprise, giving employees more ways that they can engage and innovate together.

It’s in play now – but there’s a behavioural, rather than a technological, barrier to overcome before it becomes commonplace and has the critical mass to become a mainstream communication tool.

Organisations can begin to break down the barriers to widespread video take-up by deploying it more flexibly. Would telephones be as popular if employees didn’t have them at their desks?